The Raetian Limes ran across southern Franconia as a stone wall, and between Wassertrüdingen and Gunzenhausen it climbed over low hills and crossed the valleys of small rivers, with watchtowers at regular intervals. The group from WP 13/16 to 13/36 includes the sites of several towers and a fortlet, now visible as low mounds and foundations, sometimes with reconstructions, and they are part of the Upper German-Raetian Limes World Heritage listing. In the woods and fields, a line of stones or a slight bank may mark the course of the wall.
The landscape around here is gentle and rural, with the Hesselberg, the highest hill in Middle Franconia, rising to the north-west, and the Ries, a vast crater formed by a meteorite impact around fifteen million years ago, to the south. The medieval town of Nördlingen, in the centre of the crater, has a complete circuit of walls, and the stone of its church tower contains tiny diamonds formed by the impact. Dinkelsbühl, to the west, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Germany.
For riders, this is easy country: quiet roads through farmland, forests and villages, with gentle curves and little traffic. The Romantic Road, a famous touring route, passes through Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, and the roads around the Hesselberg and the Ries crater offer views and variety. It is the sort of riding where you find yourself humming in the helmet.
Wassertrüdingen, a small town seven kilometres west, can supply petrol and a snack, and Gunzenhausen and Dinkelsbühl offer more. The villages have inns serving Franconian food and beer from local breweries, and Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen have many restaurants and cafés in their medieval centres. Climb the Daniel, the tower of Nördlingen's church, for a view across the rim of the crater, or walk the complete circuit of the town walls. The Hesselberg, with its open summit, offers a wide view over the region and is a popular spot for paragliders and walkers.